Safety device for skin divers



May 17, 1960 C. M. GASSER SAFETY DEVICE FOR SKIN DIVERS Filed March 31,1958 IN VEN TOR.

AZTORNEYS.

. jbreathing-gas-supply. pack.

fiel State Pam Q" 4. q 2,936,753 11 I I Fsarnrv DEVICE Fon sum- 1)Charles M. Gasser, Dover, Ohio, assignor to Knapp- Monarch Company, :St.Louis,Mo., a corporation of Delaware f ApplicationMarch 31,1958,Serial-No. 725,22.9

" '3'Claims. ((31.128-142) This invention relates to adiversrbreathing-gas supply apparatus, and more particularly to asafety-float means for cooperation therewith.

The art of skin diving, or Swimming wholly submerged in water whilecarrying a supply of breathing-gas, has been greatly increasing inpopularity in'rece'nt years. Of course, there are still manydangersconnectedwith this ice 12 disposed in parallel, adjacent relationand arranged so that their longitudinal axes are substantiallyvertically upright, when the skin diver is standing erect. The cylindersare of well-known construction and are provided a-t'their upper endswith taps, or valves, 14 for connection to a-m'anifold pipe 16, fromwhence breathing-gas is sup-' 6 plied to a breathing mask, or helmet,which is to be worn sport, and one of the principal dangers involvessudden emergencies'when it is requisite that '-the diver reach thesurface and sta'ythere. in a position'to .breathe air. i While safety.belts. are available whichrrnayb'e immediately inflatedfrom compressedgas cartridges to effect the necessary buoyancy to carry the .diver'to.the waters surface, nevertheless there' still are deficiencies connectedwith these safetymeans'. For example, if the diver; is injured,unconscious or only semi-conscious; he may reach the surface on hisback, and frequently the, weightpof the: battery of .breathin'gagascylinders carried on the divers back-.may be sufficient toup-end.him,.or

safety belt, and of course this may be fatal.

Thus, one object of invention is to provide) a breathing-gas supply.apparatus in :combination with a safety float means-which insures that:the injured-or'unconscious divers head is maintained out of-water.

to immerse the divers headdespite the buoyancy of the Another object ofthis invention is to provide'a simple by the skin diver. T h'e'breathingmask, or helmet, is not illustrated-assaid structure forms no part ofthis invention.'- t

The safety float of this invention includes inflatable tubular floatmeans 'carriedon the various gas-supply cylinders 12. A specificinflatable float means,'for the gas-supplypack 10 of Figurel, isgenerally indicated at 20 and isbestlseen specifically in Figure 3. Thefloat means 20 in Figure 3 includes four upright, elongated,floatsegments 22 which are arranged to extend longitudinally of, andadjacent to, the gas cylinders 12. Each of the upright float segments 22is closed at its lower end and communicates at its upper end with alaterally extending float segment 24 which is of a length to extendtransversely across the upper ends of all of the cylinders 12 ofgas-supplyvpack 10. The longitudinal float segments 22' andlaterallyiextending float segments 24 are all inflatable tubularrnembers." Upon inflation thereof by a pressurized gas means, theyexpand from their deflated condition and operate to displace asuflicient volume of tent oflthe cylinders 12. .It is preferred, as bestseenin safety float means'which is readilyadaptableto' existing diversbreathing-gas-supply systems, and which is designed to insure againstimmersing of the divers head in the event. of an emergency requiring adivers buoyant rise to the surface of'the water. I

Further objects and advantages of thisrinvention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize *this invention will be pointed out with particularity inthe claims annexed to and forming part of this application.

A preferred embodiment .of the'invention is shown in theaccompanying'drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates adiver equipped with a'breathinggas-supply packwhich is equipped with a safety"floa't embodying the invention herein.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-section view through the diversbreathing-gas-supply pack showing portions of the safety float therefor.v a

. Figure 3 illustrates a safety float for a divers 3-cylinder I Figure 4illustrates a safety float for a divers'2-cylinder breathing-gas-supplypack.

Figure 5 illustrates a safety float for a divers l-cylinderbreathing-gas-supply pack.

Figure 6 is a cross-section view illustrating pertinent details of amanually releasable compressed-gas means for inflating the safety floa-tof this invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in Figure l a skindiver having mounted on his back a typical breathing-gas-supply systemgenerally indicated at 10. The gas-supply system shown in Figure 1includes three elongated breathing-gas-supply tanks, or cylinders,

Figure 2, that at least one central upright float segment 22a isdisposed in' 'each crotch defined between a, pair of adjacent cylinders12, and that at least one upright outer floa-t segment 22b belocatedadjacent each lateral extremity of the gas-cylinder-pack 10.

Secured to thetransverse float segment 24 is a manually releasablecompressed-gas-means generally indicated at 26. Thesecompressed-gas-means include gas-cartridge receiving 'casing28, and agas conduit means 30, for conveying 'gas'from a compressed-gas cartridgeto the interior of the float means. More specifically, the casing 28includes a hollow casing portion 32 and a cap portion 34 for cooperationwith casing portion 32 to define an enclosed chamber within which apierceable gas cartridge 36 maybe removably positioned. Gasket means 38are provided between the abutting faces of easing portion 32 and capportion 34. A threaded annular nutlike member 40 is threadably receivedby casing portion 32 and has a clamping flange 42 for engaging shoulder43 on cap 34 for clamping cap 34 against casing 32 in assembledposition, The casing portion 32 carries a piercingj pin mechanism whichincludes a headed piercing pin 44.-which is spring-biased to a retractedposition by a coil spring 46 disposed between the head of'the piercingpin '44 and a restrictedportion 48 defined'in casing portion 32. Therestricted portion 48 is apertured to slidably receive andguide thepoint of the piercing pin 44. The head of-thepiercing pin 44 is groovedto receive an annular seal which is designed to prevent fluid leakagepast the piercing pin.

The outermost end of the casing 32 is bifurcated to receive therein abell-crank-type lever 50 pivotally mounted on pin 52 carried by the earsof the bifurcated portion. The bell crank 50 has a camming portion 54,which is adapted to ride against the head of piercing pin 44 to eifectdepression of same to effect piercing of cylinder latented May 1969..

35. A pull cord 56 is provided for actuating the bell. crank 50 torelease the compressed gas.

The casing portion 32 is formed to also define therein a gas conduit 58,communicating at. one end with-the en closed chamber in which thecompressed gas cartridge 36 is positioned, and communicating at theother end Witha conduit 60 that opens at its remote end into the spaceenclosed by float segment 24. The casing 32 carries. thereon a flexibleannular mounting. flange 62, which may be appropriately vulcanized, orsealed, to the casing mem ber 32, and which is also appropriatelyvulcanized or sealed to the wall portion of the transverse float 24, soas to provide a non-leak gas passageway from the cartridge receivingmeans; 28 to the interior of the floatmeans.

The float means shown inFigure 3 is provided for a three-cylinderbreathing-gas-supply pack as shown in Fig ure 1. However,breathing-gas-supply packs come in sizes that include either twocylinders or one cylinder, as these are the three popular sizesavailable. Where less. gas cylinders are provided, a smaller float meansshould be supplied. Thus, Figure 4 illustrates an inflatable float meansfor use witha two-cylinder breathing-gas-pack, and Figure 5 illustratesfloat means for use with a one-cylinder breathing-gas-pack. In Figure 4,only three upright float segments 22 are provided, and the transversefloat "assen ed" 24 on which the compressed-gas-means 26 is mountedfaces outwardly, or forwardly, so that the pull cord 56 is convenientlypositioned for ready grasping thereof. A simple pull on cord 56 is allthat is necessary to effect piercing of cartridge 36 to provide forimmediate inflation of the float means 20. i 7 While there has beenshown and described a particular embodiment. of this. invention, it willbe obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes, andmodifica1 tions may bemade. therein without departing from. theinvention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to coverall such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit andscopeof the invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to. secure by Letters 1 the upper end ofthe tank; and manually releasable com segment 24' is of smaller lengthas it only needs to bridge two cylinders 12. In Figure 5, only twoupright float segments 22 are provided and the transverse float segment24" is of a length to bridge one cylinder 12.

It will be seen that, basically, each of the float means shown inFigures 3, 4 and '5 provides what may be termed an inflatable, invertedU-shaped float means, wherein the legs of the U extend longitudinally ofthe cylinder, or cylinders, 12 and wherein the bightportion of the Uextends across, or bridges, the entire upper end of the gas-supply-packto which the float, means are attached. This latter feature is veryimportant, because such an arrangement disposes a portion of the floatmeans upwardly, or above,-the uppermost end portion of thegas-supply-pack, and leaves the lowermost end of the gas-supply-packwithout any float means adjacent thereto. This particular arrangementdisposes the float means so that the uppermost portion of thebreathing-gas-supply pack is more buoyant than the lowermost portionand, in the event of an emergency rise to the surface, the pack withfloat means attached thereto will always assume an attitude wherein theuppermost portion of the pack points outwardly from the water. Thislatter feature insures that if the skin diver is unable to control hisposition or attitude in the water because of the fact that he may bedisabled or unconscious, his head will be kept out of the Water, therebypreventing those unfortunate mishaps wherein the diver reaches thesurface but is upended so that he drowns. I

The float means 20 may be secured to the breathinggas-supply pack in anyappropriate manner. .In the instant disclosure the float means are shownprovided with strap portions 21 connected thereto, which may be tied orstrapped to the adjacent cylinders 12. When the float means areuninflated they lie in collapsed, flat condition against the cylinders12, but when inflated, they balloon out to provide the necessary buoyantvolume. It will be seen that float means 20 are secured to thegas-supplypack 10 so that the side of transverse float segmentpressed-gas means carried on said float means for selectively inflatingsaid float means.

2. A divers breathing gas supply comprising, in combination: apluralityof elongated breathing-gas-supply cylinders disposed in parallel,adjacent relation; harness means for positioning the plurality ofcylinders on the back of a diver in substantially longitudinally uprightcon: dition; inflatable tubular float means carried on said supplycylinders and defining a plurality of upright elon; gated float segmentsextending longitudinally of and adjacent; to said cylinders, and alaterally extending float segment, communicating with each of saidupright'float segmentsf and'extending transversely across-the :upperendsv of said plurality of cylinders; andmanuall'y releas ablecompressed-gas means carried on saidfloat means for selectivelyinflating said float means.

3.. A divers breathing gas supplycomprising, in com bination:a'plurality. of elongated breathing-gas-supply cylinders disposed inparallel adjacent relation; harness I means for positioning theplurality of cylinders on the back of av diverin substantiallylongitudinally upright con dition; inflatable tubular float meanscarried on said supply cylinders and defining a plurality of uprightelongated float segments extending longitudinally of and adjacent tosaid cylinders, and a laterally extending float segment, communicatingwith each of said upright float segments and extending transverselyacross the upper ends of said plurality of cylinders, said upright floatsegments being arranged and disposed so that there is at least oneupright float segment located outwardly of both lateral extremities ofthe plurality of cylinders and at least one upright float segmentdisposed in each crotch defined between each adjacent pair of cylinders;and manually releasable Manson July 7, 1936 Kissenberger Dec. 16, 1958

